Emulators on DS
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Developer | Nintendo |
---|---|
Type | Handheld game console |
Generation | Seventh generation |
Release date | 2004 |
Discontinued | 2013 |
Predecessor | Game Boy Advance |
Successor | Nintendo 3DS |
Emulated | ✓ |
- For software that emulates the NDS, see Nintendo DS emulators.
This page can help you turn your tiny NDS handheld into an emulation device. NDS is underpowered compared to PSP, but here's what you can take out of it. Compatibility information isn't accurate on here as of now.
Contents
Arcade
MAME (ports)
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DSPack | 1.96 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
MAME4All | 1.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
- MAME4All
- Port of MAME 0.37b5 emulator for Supercard DS Two only.
Game-specific ports
1942 DS: emulates 1942 (all sets). 1943 DS: emulates 1943 (3 sets). AemioDA: Acronym for "Arcade Emulator Made In One Day", Asteroid. BombJack DS: BombJack arcade game emulator. Canyon DS: Canyon Bomber (prototype set also) emulator. DSInvaders: A Space Invaders Arcade Emulator. Ghosts'n Run: Arcade emulator for one game: Ghosts 'n Goblins. GreenBeretDS: Green Beret, Rush'n Attack & Mr. Goemon Arcade Emulator. K80DS: Konami 80's arcade emulator: Double Dribble, Finalizer, Green Beret / Rush'n Attack, Iron Horse, Jackal, Jail Break, Mr. Goemon, Scooter Shooter, Yie Ar Kung-Fu. MarcaDS: An arcade emulator. It emulates 75 game machines, including Amidars, Arkanoid, Cosmic Avenger, Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, Frogger, Lady Bug, Phoenix, Pooyan, Scramble, Super Cobra, etc. MrDo DS: Mr.Do!, Mr.Do's Castle, Do!Run Run & Mr.Do's Wild Ride arcade emulator. Pang DS: Pang and Super Pang Arcade Emulator. PuzzleKlax: Arcade emulator for Klax and Tetris. SnowBrosDS: Snow Bros., Nick & Tom (all sets), Arcade Games. Solomon's Key DS: Solomon's Key (US and Japan) Arcade Emulator.
Personal computers
Amstrad CPC
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AmeDS | 4.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
CrocoDS | 2.0 | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
Apple II
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A2DS | 2008 | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
Grape | 2014 | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
PomDS | 2.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Apple Macintosh
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mini vMac DS | R3 2008 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Atari 8-bit
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A8DS | 3.8a | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Atari800 | 0.2.0 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
PokeyDS | 1.1 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
Atari ST
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
StyxDS | 0.2a | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
Commodore 64
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FrodoDS | Complete v20230108a | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
DOS
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DSx86 | 0.43beta | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
- DSx86
- PC emulator that can run old DOS games. Has a custom configuration variant, DSx86Cfg.
Dragon 32/64
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
XRoar | 1.5.5 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Infocom Z-Machine
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS-Frotz | 2.0 beta-1 20080815 | Mid | ~ | ✗ | ✓ |
GLK POGO | 1.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
MegaZeux
Name | Latest Version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DSMZX | 2009 | N/A | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
MegaZeux | 2.93 | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
Microsoft MSX
Name | Latest version | MSX 1 | MSX 2 | MSX 2+ | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FmsxDS | 0.09 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ~ |
MSX DS | 0.94 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
PenkoDS | 0.2a | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
In addition, both ColecoDS and S8DS can run msx1 games.
ScummVM
Name | Latest version | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|
ScummVM | 1.2.1 (for ds mode flashcarts) 2.8.1 (for dsi mode) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Sinclair
Name | Latest version | ZX81 | ZX Spectrum | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS81 | 1.3 | ✓ | ✗ | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
DSpec | Preview | ✗ | ✓ | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
SpeccyDS | 0.3 | ✗ | ✓ (48k only) | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
SpectrumDS | 2009 | ✗ | ✓ (48k only) | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
ZXDS | 1.4.1 | ✗ | ✓ | Mid | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
- ZXDS
- By far the most accurate and feature-packed DS ZX Spectrum emulator. Has WiFi multiplayer support.
Tangerine Oric
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DSOric | 1.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Texas Instruments
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS994a | 2.1 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Thomson MO5
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ThomDS | 3.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
ZZT Engine
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DreamZZT | 3.1.500 | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ~ |
Home consoles
Atari
Name | Latest version | 2600 | 5200 | 7800 | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A5200DS | 3.6 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
A7800DS | 4.7 | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
StellaDS | 7.2 | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
ColecoVision
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ColecoDS | 9.9 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
S8DS can load colecovision games too.
- ColecoDS
- Includes support for the following 8-bit systems: Colecovision, ADAM, Casio PV-2000, MSX1, Sord-M5, Memotech MTX, Spectravision SVI, Hanimex Pencil II, Tatung Einstein, SG-1000/SC-3000 and the Creativision.
GCE Vectrex
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
VectxDS | 0.1 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magnavox Odyssey DS | 2010/06/25 | Low | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
Mattel Intellivision
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NINTV-DS | 5.2 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
NEC PC-Engine/TurboGrafX-16
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NitroGrafx | 0.7 | Mid | ✓ | ~ | ✓ |
Nintendo NES
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Midori | 1.3a | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
NesDS | 1.3d+ | Mid | ✓ | ~ | ✓ |
NesterDS/+ | 0.3.9 | Mid | ~ | ✗ | ~ |
RetroBoxDS | 2005 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Nintendo SNES
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BAG SFC | r3 | Low | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
CATSFC | git | Low | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
lolSnes | 1.1 | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
SNEmulDS | 0.6a0.6d | Low | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
SnesDS | 2005 | Low | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
SnezziDS | 0.28a | Low | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
- lolSnes
- the precursor to BlargSNES. Very barebones.
- SNEmulDS
- port of the DOS SNES emulator SNEmul. Has the best compatibility and speed.
- SnezziDS
- port of the GBA-based SNES emulator Snezziboy (in its GBA incarnation, while functional it's less than ideal).
Sega Dreamcast VMU
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NDS_VMS | 20100214 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
VirtuaMUnstaz | demo | Low | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Sega Master System / Game Gear
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apprentice MinusDS | 0.4.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
DSMasterplus | 1.3a | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
DSMS | 0.2 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
S8DS | 1.1.7 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
In addition, there is ColecoDS which can run SG-1000/SC-3000 games.
- S8DS
- Includes support for the following 8-bit systems: SEGA SG-1000 / SG-1000 II, SEGA SC-3000, SEGA Mark III, SEGA Master System J, 1 & 2, SEGA Game Gear, SEGA System-E, Coleco, MSX 1, Sord M5.
Sega Megadrive / Genesis
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
jEnesisDS | 0.7.4 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
PicoDriveDS | git | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ~ |
SNK Neo Geo AES/MVS
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NeoDS | 0.2.1c | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
Multi-Console
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TWiLight Menu++ | 27.5.1 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (CFW) | ~ (Flashcart) |
- TWiLight Menu++
- Includes a bunch of popular emulators, and can be found in
\_nds\TWiLightMenu\emulators\
.
The list includes:
- A5200DS - (Atari 5200)
- A7800DS - (Atari 7800 ProSystem)
- A8DS - (Atari800XL/XEGS)
- AmEDS - (Amstrad CPC)
- ColecoDS - (ColecoVision)
- CrocoDC - (Amstrad CPC)
- GameYob - (GB/GBC)
- GBARunner2 - (GBA)
- jEnesisDS - (Sega Megadrive/Genesis)
- nesDS - (NES)
- NGPDS - (Neo Geo Pocket)
- Nintellivision - (Intellivision)
- NitroGrafx - (PC-Engine)
- NitroSwan - (WonderSwan)
- PicoDriveTWL - (Genesis/Megadrive)
- PokeMini - (Pokémon Mini)
- S8DS - (GG/MS/SG-1000)
- SNEmulDS - (SNES)
- StellaDS - (Atari 2600)
Handheld consoles
Bandai Tamagotchi v1
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tamaboy DS | 2024 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Bandai WonderSwan
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DualSwan | 1.2.1 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
NitroSwan | 0.6.4 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- NitroSwan
- can emulate Benesse PocketChallenge V2, besides wonderswan. Larger WS games won't load from a standard flashcard without additional RAM. Alternatively, for dsi and 3ds systems, you can use twilightmenu++ to use all available RAM.
Java ME
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pstros NDS | 0.7.2r6 | Low | ✓ | ✗ | ~ |
Nintendo Game Boy
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS Boy | 0.75 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
DS_GBC | 0.1 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
GameYob | git | Mid-High | ✓ | ~ | ✓ |
Lameboy | 0.12 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gbaemu4ds | git | Low | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
GBARunner2 | git | N/A | ✓ | ~ | ~ |
GBARunner3 | git | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
- GBARunner2
- Unlike other attempts at running GBA on the DS, GBARunner2 is a hypervisor rather than purely on emulation, meaning it runs partially on present GBA hardware found within the DS itself.
Nintendo Pokémon Mini
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PokeMini DS | 0.60 | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
SNK Neo Geo Pocket (Color)
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NGPDS | 0.5.7 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
RACE! | DS FIXED | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
TimeTop Gameking
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gamekengu | 0.01 | Low | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Watara Supervision
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WasabiDS (山葵DS) | 0.2.4 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Watari | 0.4 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
Virtual and fantasy consoles
CHIP-8
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
chip-8 | 0.2 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
chip-84-ds | 1.0.0 | Mid | ✓ | ~ | ~ |
chip8me | 1.0 | Mid | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
Pico-8
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
fake-08 | 0.0.0 alpha | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
UXN/Varvara
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
uxnds | 0.4.10 | Mid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
XY-MINI
Name | Latest version | Accuracy | FLOSS | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Xyds | 0.2 | Mid | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |